A community celebration of life will be held Saturday evening, May 10 for Braun Levi, a star tennis player at Loyola High School who was fatally struck by an alleged impaired driver in Manhattan Beach, where his family had relocated after losing their home in the Palisades Fire.
The event will be held at Loyola High School’s Hayden Circle, 1901 Venice Blvd., at 6 p.m. It will be followed by a reception.
Levi, 18, was walking in the 100 block of South Sepulveda Boulevard with a friend around 12:45 a.m. Sunday when he was struck. He was taken to a hospital, where he died.
The motorist, 33-year-old Jenia Resha Belt, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of DUI, according to Manhattan Beach police.
Levi, who was found in the street by responding officers, was nationally ranked in tennis, and his family told reporters he was bound for the University of Virginia.
The young man’s family had moved to Manhattan Beach after their Pacific Palisades home was destroyed in January’s Palisades Fire.
“Braun was a shining presence in our Loyola family, bringing light, joy and inspiration to everyone he touched,” Loyola High School posted on its website. “As the Varsity tennis team captain for three years, Braun was a true leader and student athlete, serving as a member of the Student Council, a senior Big Brother, Kairos retreat leader and volleyball team manager.
“… May his family find peace, strength and solace in the embrace of our collective love and support.”
The U.S. Tennis Association Southern California published an extensive tribute to Levi, saying he “had a way of brightening every room he walked into; he was radiant. His sportsmanship never wavered. And his love — for tennis, people, and life — was always evident.”
His friend and doubles partner, Cooper Schwartz, recalled in the tribute that Levi was a star on the tennis circuit, on and off the court.
“At any tournament we played together, Braun was a celebrity,” Schwartz said. “He somehow had a memory made with at least every single player in the draw. At The Ojai Invitational, I lost count of how many kids came up just to say hi to him. Braun was SoCal tennis royalty, everyone knew him, and everyone loved him.”
Friend and occasional mixed-doubles partner Lexi Wolf said “there was something special” about Levi.
“He brought this energy that lit up every court and made you feel seen, encouraged, and important — no matter who you were,” Wolf said in the USTA tribute. “That’s just the kind of person he was. He was able to make every ordinary experience become something unforgettable. His energy on the court was unmatched, full of fire, joy, and this contagious passion that made everyone around him better.”
Belt remains jailed without bail, although she has not yet been charged in connection with Levi’s death.
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